Hard as Nails, Soft as Butter
by Angel-of-vampires
Summary: This is a deleted scene from Under the Hammer from series one. It's set after Buffer leaves Nav's cabin, and he then meets up with ET in the corridor...


**Hello everyone! **

**On the Sea Patrol fan site (it's awesome site. If you're a fan and want the link to it, PM me!) there is a competition to win a signed copy of the script to Catch and Release, and the fanfic part of the competition is to write a deleted scene from any episode, maximum 1,000 words. So this is my deleted scene from the episode Under the Hammer from the first series. **

**So anyway, please enjoy this deleted scene and tell me what you think!

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Hard as Nails, Soft as Butter

Buffer closed the door to the Nav's cabin. He had admitted that he was in love with her, yet she'd turned him down, saying that he was just a good friend. Friendships like theirs shouldn't be spoilt by romantic attractions that might not last. Oh, why did she have to be in love with ET? He was a player. He didn't truly get involved with anyone! Simple sex was enough for a guy like him, but for Buffer… he wanted everything.

Nikki Caetano _was_ that everything. She really was Buffer's perfect woman. She was beautiful, strong and independent, caring yet tough, she was easy to get along with, and kind to everyone. She could laugh and drink with all of the boys, and easily take a joke, even if it was at her own expense. Buffer guessed that growing up with four older brothers had given her that endearing quality. But yet she had fallen for Josh Holiday, whom Buffer didn't think would treat her right. Why did life have to be so unfair?

Buffer slowly started making his way along the corridor, heading for nowhere in particular, when ET appeared out of a door ahead. Somehow, Buffer knew that he was going to see Nav. He was going to apologize for what she'd overheard Chefo saying. To convince her that _he_ was the one for her.

As ET got closer to Buffer, closer to Nav's cabin, Buffer growled "Remember what I said before." The glare that ET noticed in Buffer's eyes told him that Buffer really wasn't to be messed with right now.

ET stopped in his tracks. "Look mate, I told you before. There's no way I'd ever dream of hurting Nikki. I… I care too much about her." ET admitted, looking down at his feet "I know you don't believe that possible, but I do. I feel different about her. She's not like any other women."

"You got that right. And if I ever find out that you did anything to hurt her…" Buffer left his threat hanging.

ET looked up at him sharply, realisation dawning on him. Buffer had told her how he felt, yet Nav had turned him down. Perhaps in favour of himself, though ET barley dared to hope it could be true. But her rejection would explain Buffer's strange behaviour.

"I promise you, Buff. I'll never hurt her. Not ever." ET said softly, giving his friend a reassuring smile.

Buffer nodded his head, eyes cast downward and unable to speak. As ET moved past him and closer to Nikki's cabin, he lifted his eyes from their point on the floor to ET's back. He watched as he knocked on her cabin door, and heard her soft voice call out "Yeah?"

Buffer watched as ET entered her cabin, the sound of ET's voice resounding inside his head as he imagined him apologizing to Nikki. But he didn't wait around to find out what would happen. He couldn't bear it. He continued up along the corridor towards the bridge, but that would mean company which he didn't feel up to at that point, and he was still currently wearing his Mrs Neptune costume, with the long red-haired wig in his hands. Sighing, Buffer walked outside onto the deck, dropping the wig at his feet and slouching with his arms resting on the rails.

The wind was blowing strongly; his blue glittery shirt being tugged by the wind in all directions, and the salty sea water lapped at the sides of the _Hammersley_. This was always a calming and soothing place for Buffer. The wild and untrained sea had a beauty that nothing else ever could have. _Nikki has an untrained beauty as well,_ Buffer though, but quickly shook his head to clear away any thoughts of the navigator. _Must stop thinking about her._

_Hammersley_ lunged forward as it crashed through a wave, which sent spray over the sides of the ship. A single drop of salty water traced its way over Buffers' handsome features, and he brushed it away. But it was soon replaced with another, and another after that. _Not sea water_ he realised, and took a deep breath, trying to clear his head.

Although he had tried to reassure her that ET hadn't meant what she'd overheard, it didn't mean that he wasn't hurting inside. He'd only said it so that he might see her smile again. That beautiful smile that seemed to light up the world…

He mentally kicked himself for thinking of her again. He resolved then and there that when they got to shore he was going to find the perfect woman for him, and never think of Nav as anything but a good mate. He'd find someone that wasn't on the same Patrol Boat as himself. Someone that wasn't in love with another man. Someone who he could love and care for, like a real man should do. _Gotta stop wearing my bloody heart on my sleeve_, he thought, _I need to think of something to take my mind off her... _

Thor!

The _Kingston_ still had him! Buffer started working out a plan to rescue their missing crew member, the mighty Hammer God, Thor. Out of the corner of his eye, Buffer noticed the thin figure of a young man at the other end of the ship. "Oi, Spide!" Buffer yelled out to the young sailor. At the sound of his nickname, he turned and saw Buffer still wearing the sparkly blue shirt.

"Time to redeem yourself." Buffer said to him when he was close enough. A mischievous smile was plastered on Buffers face, and a certain brown-haired beauty was finally in the farthest corner of his mind.

Spider couldn't help but smile back at his mentor as Buffer filled him in on his brilliant plan...

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**Thanks for reading! Please review and tell me what you thought!**

**~ Angel-of-vampires**


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